Publication Ethics Statement

This statement is based on COPE's Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors, ICMJE Recommendations, and WAME Guidelines, adapted for the specific ethical considerations of Medicine-Driven Informatics research.

Ethical Guideline for Journal Publication

Publishing in a peer-reviewed journal is essential for building a reliable and respected body of knowledge in Medicine-Driven Informatics. It reflects the quality of the authors' work and the institutions that support them. Consequently, all parties: authors, editors, reviewers, the publisher, and the academic community must adhere to the highest ethical standards.

The School of Medicine and School of Information Technology – Universitas Ciputra, as the journal's publisher, takes its stewardship role seriously and is committed to ensuring ethical practices throughout the publication process. Editorial decisions are independent of commercial, political, or personal interests. The publisher and editorial board endorse communication with other journals and publishers, when necessary, particularly regarding suspected ethical breaches.

Duties of Editors

Publication Decisions

The Editor-in-Chief, in consultation with Associate Editors and reviewers, makes final decisions on manuscript publication based on academic merit, clinical relevance, methodological rigor, and adherence to ethical standards. Decisions consider:

  • Scientific validity and contribution to Medicine-Driven Informatics
  • Clinical significance and potential impact on healthcare
  • Compliance with ethical guidelines for clinical and informatics research
  • Current legal standards regarding defamation, copyright, and plagiarism

Non-Discrimination

Editors and reviewers evaluate manuscripts solely on their academic and scientific merit, without regard to authors' race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, ethnic origin, citizenship, political philosophy, institutional affiliation, or seniority.

Confidentiality

Editors, editorial staff, and reviewers must maintain strict confidentiality regarding submitted manuscripts. Manuscript information may only be disclosed to:

  • Corresponding authors
  • Reviewers (anonymized)
  • Potential reviewers
  • Editorial board members
  • The publisher (as necessary for production)

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

  • Editors and editorial staff may not use unpublished information from submitted manuscripts for their own research without written consent from authors.
  • Editors must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where they have conflicts of interest.
  • Guest editors must declare their special issue's scope and any potential conflicts.

Vigilance Regarding Ethical Standards

Editors will:

  • Investigate allegations of ethical violations using COPE guidelines.
  • Require IRB/ethics committee approval for all human/animal studies.
  • Ensure compliance with data privacy regulations (HIPAA, GDPR).
  • Verify clinical trial registration where applicable.
  • Address concerns about algorithmic bias in AI/ML studies.

Duties of Reviewers

Contribution to Editorial Decisions

Nova Medica Informatica (NOVEM) employs a double-blind peer-review system. Reviewers assist editors in making publication decisions and, through constructive feedback, help authors improve their manuscripts. Reviewers should evaluate:

  • Scientific and methodological rigor
  • Clinical relevance and impact
  • Integration of clinical and technical domains
  • Adherence to reporting guidelines

Promptness

Reviewers should complete evaluations within the agreed timeframe (typically 3-4 weeks). If unable to meet the deadline, reviewers must immediately notify the editor so the manuscript can be reassigned.

Confidentiality

All manuscript content, including abstract, figures, and data, must be treated as confidential. Reviewers may not discuss the manuscript with others or use information gained during review for personal advantage.

Objectivity

Reviews should be conducted objectively, with clear, evidence-based critiques. Personal criticism of authors is unacceptable. Reviewers should express views clearly with supporting arguments.

Acknowledgment of Sources

Reviewers should identify relevant published work not cited by authors and alert editors to substantial similarity between the manuscript and published works.

Conflict of Interest

Reviewers must decline review invitations when conflicts exist due to competitive, collaborative, or financial relationships with authors, or personal biases.

Special Considerations for Health Informatics

Reviewers should specifically evaluate:

  • Ethical handling of clinical data (de-identification, consent)
  • Algorithmic fairness and bias assessment
  • Clinical validation of technical solutions
  • Patient safety considerations in digital interventions

Duties of Authors

Reporting Standards

Authors must present accurate accounts of original research, sufficient detail for replication, and honest acknowledgment of limitations.

Data Access, Integrity, and Retention

  • Authors must provide raw data upon editorial request and retain it for at least 5 years.
  • AI/ML studies must include code availability statements when feasible.

Originality and Plagiarism

Manuscripts undergo screening via iThenticate/Turnitin (threshold: ≤15% similarity). Text recycling requires disclosure.

Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication

Submission implies the work has not been published previously. Concurrent submission to multiple journals is unacceptable.

Authorship Criteria

Authorship requires meeting ALL ICMJE criteria:

  • Substantial contributions to design, acquisition, or analysis.
  • Drafting or revising the article.
  • Final approval of the version to be published.
  • Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work. Note: AI tools cannot be authors.

Clinical Research Ethics

IRB approval and informed consent must be documented. Clinical trial registration numbers (e.g., ClinicalTrials.gov) must be provided.

Special Requirements for Health Informatics Research

Authors must address:

  • Data Ethics: Privacy and protection compliance.
  • Algorithmic Transparency: Explainability and bias assessment.
  • Cybersecurity: Data protection in digital solutions.
  • Digital Equity: Accessibility across diverse populations.

Publisher's Responsibilities

  • Editorial Independence: Commercial considerations do not affect decisions.
  • Intellectual Property: Protects copyright and ensures permanent archiving.
  • Ethical Oversight: Supports editors in investigations and maintains COPE membership.
  • Corrections and Retractions: Supports timely errata or retractions for misconduct.

Handling of Unethical Behavior

Investigations follow COPE guidelines. Outcomes may include:

  • Educational communication
  • Publication of correction/erratum
  • Expression of concern
  • Retraction of work
  • Reporting to institutions or a ban from future submissions (1-5 years).

Specific Policies

  • Data Sharing: Encouraged via public repositories.
  • AI-Assisted Writing: Use must be explicitly disclosed; AI-generated images/text are prohibited.
  • Preprint Policy: Permitted and encouraged; must be disclosed at submission.

Compliance Declaration

Nova Medica Informatica (NOVEM) hereby declares compliance with:

  • Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines
  • International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) recommendations
  • World Association of Medical Editors (WAME) policies

This statement is reviewed annually to reflect evolving standards in Medicine-Driven Informatics.